Apparatus for slaking lime into lime putty



March 13; 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet I 1 jiw'elrfal;

D. A. EVANS APPARATUS FOR SLAKING LIME INTO LIME PUTTY Flled Dec 14, 1 2

March 13, 1928.

Filed Dec. l4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 signed to receive the mixture of lime and Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

Tes- *PAT I 1,662,776 Eur OFFICE.

DAVID A. EVANS, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE EVANS LIME 'PUTTY COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF KANSAS.

APPARATUS roa SLAK'ING LIME nv'ro LIME PUTTY.

Application filed December 14, 1925. Serial No. 75,285.

The present invention relates to improvements in methods and equipments used in the manufacture of lime putty, and has for its principal object to devise animproved apparatus for, carrying out a more efliclent :method or process of slaking lime'into lime putty forthe purpose of obtaining a more uniform product of superior quality, as well as .aclear-grade, saturated solution of lime water formed as a by-"productfin this manufacture.

In my improved apparatus, the operation .follows the method of curing the putty mass by allowing the water to settle to the'bottom portionot the mass, where the excess water is withdrawn. The apparatus also provides for filtering the excess water as it is withdrawn, and regulating the discharge flowfor obtaining the most efiicient operation of the process. I V

VVith these general objects in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating one former equipment or apparatus which I have found to constitute a satisfactory embodiment of the invention, after whichthose features and combinations deemed to, be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed. e I

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, illustr-ating a lime slaking and putty .curing plant constructed in accordance with the present invention, said view representing a section on the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same; and -.Figure dis a sectional detail View 1llustrating amodified form of construction. -Referr1ng now to" said drawings in detall,

the form of plant illustratedis such as adapted to carry out the improved lime sla-king process as described and claimed in Letters Patent No.'1,566,587, "dated DecemberQQ, 1925 As illustrated in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a mixing box 4 de water "by which the usual hydrating step of the lime slaking process is carried out. This box 4: discharges through a run-off trough 5 onto a screen 6 mounted in a distributing trough 7, which discharges into a set of runoff troughs 8, which in turn discharge into a corresponding number of vats 10 where the raw lime putty is subjected to the necessary curing and dewatering action. a

Each of the vat compartments may simply V comprise apit of suitable depth below the pit. Each set of conduits 14 is tapped and drained ofi by a lime-water drain pipe 17 of non-porous material, and provided with spigot 18 and valve 19 at its discharge end,

which may be located inside a man-hole 20 fitted with a cover 21 at the ground level; the valve 19 may be conveniently regulated by a tool 22 let down through the cover 21. From the spigot18 thelime water may be conducted away by a conduit 23 to any suitable vat or cistern (not shown) designed as a reservoir for the lime water. e

v In carrying out the process of slaking lime into lime putty, the lime and water are placed in the box 4, and there mixed and vigorously stirred until the hydration is for the mostpart complete. As: the material is discharged from the box 4; through the trough 5, any coarser unslaked material is arrested by the screen 6 and held back for further sla-king, until it can be passed through the screen. From this point the raw lime putty flows on through the troughs 8 into the vats lOiorcuring andthe necessary dewatering.

Now in the sla'k-ing of lime, there is practically always present a certain amount of fine gravelly material which will not slake for some time, usually around ten days, after the slaking of the principal lime content itself has been completed. Hence, this renders it necessary to'age or cure the lime putty for a sufficient period of'time to efi'ect-anem' tirely uniform slaking action throughout the lime'putty mass.

I-Ieretofore, in the practice of curing lime putty, the excess water has been removed by method, the lime content which has been only partly slaked, being heavier than the fully slaked putty, has a tendency to settle to the bottom of the vat, where it continues to take up Water. Now if there is not sufiicient water available to support this continued slaking action, the immediately surrounding mass will heat up to an injurious extent and form a more or less dry hydrate lacking the proper plastic properties which the putty should possess. Tothe extent that this takes place, a putty of inferior quality is of course produced, since the insufficiently slaked particles of the putty Will, when used later, undergo an air-slaking action, and if this takes place on'a wall surface (where it is called popping) it burns and fades out the finish, or the paperor other decorations on the wall.

. By means of the improved process, this objectionable feature is entirely overcome because of the fact that the excess water is not takenoff at the surface, but can only be discharged by filtering down through the whole mass slowly to the bottom, or as fastas permitted by. regulation of the valve 19.

In this way, a continuous water supply is furnished to all partsof the putty mass, so that every particle of themixture of lime and lime saltwill be efficiently and thoroughly hydratechand any possibility of the lime and gravel burning for lack of Water is entirely eliminated. Since lime rocks vary so greatly in different parts of the country, some being slower and hotter in slaking than others, this process is of; great importance in making it possible to manufacture a uni formand superior putty product of excellent quality from these various grades of material, some of which are of such an inferior character as to be practically useless for plaster purposes if prepared by the old methods. y Y

When the putty ma sshas sufiiciently aged and cured, the putty is removed from time to time by being shovelledoutthrough the doors 25 from the vat; the lime water. solution being drawn ofi byway of the conduit 23, either for further use in slaking new lime, or as a by-product'of the manufacture which is also of a superior qualitybecause of its uniform saturated character and clear a quality due to being passed through the filter structure forming the bottom of the vat. y p

In Figure 3, I illustrate a modified type of construction in which the timbers 12 at the bottom of the vat may be arranged on a slope, and the lower portions of the side signature.

walls of the vat are lined. with porous brick or tile material 24 to permit the excess Water to drain off through these lower portions of the sidewalls into the adjacent wall of filtering material 25, such as sand or the like.

In the base of this wall is embedded the draintile 14 for collecting the excess Water, which is then conducted oil in the same manner as already described.

It is thus apparent that I have deviseda practicaland efficient equipment or apparatus for the practice of my improved method of slaking lime into a uniform high-grade putty product, having also a superior quality of lime water solution as its by-product; and

while I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the suitable forms of embodiment of the invention, I desire to reserve the right to make all such changes and modifications as may fairly fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: V

1. Apparatus for the curing of lime putty comprising a floor of lumber for supporting the putty mass, alayer of filter material in position for draining off the excess water from the putty. mass, drainage meansfor conducting oif said excess water from the filter material, and a Wall structuresuperposed above and surrounding said floor to a i eight for maintaining the top level of the putty mass above the receiving points of said drainage means. f

2; Apparatus for the curing of lime putty comprising a fioorof lumber for supporting the putty mass, a layer of filter. material in position for draining ofi the excess Water from the putty mass, a network of porous conduits embedded in said filter material and provided with a discharge pipe outlet,

height for maintaining the top level of the putty mass some distance above the level of 7 said floor.

In witness whereof I hereunto afiix my DAVID A.- EVANS. 

